May 10
Host Guest Passes
Feature Request Proposal: Host Guest PassesHosts be given 5 (five) guest passes (per support group session) to invite people to attend each session they hold without using any credits or counting against any limits or allotments.Background:Because of changes implemented to the membership structure, free Sharewell members are limited attending to attending 4 support groups per month. As a host, I have seen attendance drops resulting from the change. Past group members have been unable to attend as they had to carefully use their allotment. Some are spreading their allotments and may only to be join my weekly group once in a month when they previously attended ever week. Low turnout not only impacts those free members. All members can benefit from having groups at a healthy size.My weeky group had been growing over the last few months and was getting close to 20 members in March. A few weeks ago, I had a turnout of 4 people (including myself. Lowest turnout I had seen in months. And I had reached to a number of regulars who told me they would attend if not for the limited credits they had as a free member. After that meeting, I began to have serious thoughts of reconsidering whether I should even host and if I did should I only once a month (instead of once a week) in hopes of boosting turnout.I host to help people. I'm a volunteer. I am neither paid by Sharewell nor by those that attend. My satisfaction comes in part from making a difference and helping people in need of support. I don't want to limit that support to people based on their ability to pay.Additionally, hosting groups is always free, so free members who run out of credits are essentially encouraged to host groups in order to access the support they need. I think its great for people to host. But if people host because that's the only way they can attend a support group, that's not right. And can have impacts on existing groups. Now people have to divide limited credits among even more groups resulted in further losses in group attendance As a volunteer host in charge of my group, I want to ensure that people can be in attendance to support the group via discussion as well as assisting the host. I have had informal co-hosts but I need to ensure they are able to attend. Proposal:Hosts be given 5 (five) guest passes (per group session) to invite people to attend each session they hold without using any credits or counting against any limits or allotments.Justification:Allowing hosts to provides guest passes will help make groups more effective and functional and prevent valuable groups contributors from having to miss group sessions.Additionally, this gives hosts more control over the group and these guest passes are one way to compensate hosts for their service in hosting groups which is essential to Sharewell's success.Additionally, I think it will save Sharewell IT resources as it will cut down on a members creating groups solely cause they no other choice to get support once their credits are exhausted..Thank you for your consideration.
Pending
I think this is a great idea, and possibly scalable to the number of people the host allows (where if a smaller group for some reason needs to get a smaller number of passes, a larger group can still get a larger number of passes). I feel like it could work well within the new membership structure bringing the benefits that you name. Where this may help the site regain some vibrancy, and facilitate the goal of every house that I know, wanting good for sharewell users as individuals and as a community. I started attending your groups prior to the membership changes, and the passion you have for community building and also for being present for people as individuals, was always very clear.